Cisco
Scientific Name: Coregonus artedi | Category: freshwater
The cisco, a member of the esteemed whitefish family, presents as a silver phantom of the depths. Its body is streamlined and elegantly compressed, shimmering with a radiant silver flank that fades to a white belly and an olive-green back. Anglers recognize it by its deeply forked tail, large scales, and a distinctive small head with a terminal mouth and a protruding lower jaw. While typically encountered in the 1 to 2-pound class, cisco are known to reach trophy proportions, with the true giants of the species pushing past 5 pounds. In hand, the vibrant, almost metallic silver sheen is unforgettable, as are the large, dark eyes adapted for life in dim, cold water. The fins are generally clear to dusky, with no pronounced markings. You’ll find cisco exclusively in the cold, clear, deep lakes of the northern tier. Their geographic heartland is the glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield, the Great Lakes basin, and similar waters across the northern United States and Canada. They are a pelagic species, inhabiting the deep, cold, oxygen-rich layers of the hypolimnion, often suspending over immense depths. For the traveling angler, premier fisheries include the legendary waters of Lake Superior, Ontario's Lake Nipigon, and the famed 'lake trout lakes' of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where cisco often school alongside their larger predator. Targeting them successfully means understanding the thermocline and having the electronics to locate suspended schools in vast, open water. Anglers target cisco not just as a quarry in their own right, but as a quintessential component of a northern wilderness experience. Their fight is a spirited, darting affair on light tackle, often punctuated by sudden, surprising runs. They are a highly prized baitfish for trophy lake trout, making them a critical target for guides and trophy hunters seeking to liveline or use fresh-cut bait. Furthermore, cisco are a celebrated table fare, with delicate, flaky white flesh that is superb smoked—a tradition in many coastal communities. To pursue them is to connect with the deep, cold, and ancient heart of North America's freshwater seas, offering both a sporting challenge and a taste of pristine wilderness.
species.getBySlug
{
"id": "01228bec-64b4-46f7-b071-c758835fe6fb",
"commonName": "Cisco",
"scientificName": "Coregonus artedi",
"slug": "cisco",
"category": "freshwater",
"aliases": [
"Lake Herring",
"Tullibee",
"Blueback",
"Siscowet (historically in some contexts)",
"Northern Cisco",
"Chub"
],
"description": "The cisco, a member of the esteemed whitefish family, presents as a silver phantom of the depths. Its body is streamlined and elegantly compressed, shimmering with a radiant silver flank that fades to a white belly and an olive-green back. Anglers recognize it by its deeply forked tail, large scales, and a distinctive small head with a terminal mouth and a protruding lower jaw. While typically encountered in the 1 to 2-pound class, cisco are known to reach trophy proportions, with the true giants of the species pushing past 5 pounds. In hand, the vibrant, almost metallic silver sheen is unforgettable, as are the large, dark eyes adapted for life in dim, cold water. The fins are generally clear to dusky, with no pronounced markings.\n\nYou’ll find cisco exclusively in the cold, clear, deep lakes of the northern tier. Their geographic heartland is the glacial lakes of the Canadian Shield, the Great Lakes basin, and similar waters across the northern United States and Canada. They are a pelagic species, inhabiting the deep, cold, oxygen-rich layers of the hypolimnion, often suspending over immense depths. For the traveling angler, premier fisheries include the legendary waters of Lake Superior, Ontario's Lake Nipigon, and the famed 'lake trout lakes' of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where cisco often school alongside their larger predator. Targeting them successfully means understanding the thermocline and having the electronics to locate suspended schools in vast, open water.\n\nAnglers target cisco not just as a quarry in their own right, but as a quintessential component of a northern wilderness experience. Their fight is a spirited, darting affair on light tackle, often punctuated by sudden, surprising runs. They are a highly prized baitfish for trophy lake trout, making them a critical target for guides and trophy hunters seeking to liveline or use fresh-cut bait. Furthermore, cisco are a celebrated table fare, with delicate, flaky white flesh that is superb smoked—a tradition in many coastal communities. To pursue them is to connect with the deep, cold, and ancient heart of North America's freshwater seas, offering both a sporting challenge and a taste of pristine wilderness.",
"imageUrl": "https://media.meridiaoutdoors.com/media/species/cisco/main.webp",
"hero": {
"blurhash": "UhQ]+t%Mxut7ofofofWB_NWBj@j[?bWBWAof",
"altText": "Cisco (Coregonus artedi) watercolor",
"caption": "The cisco, a member of the esteemed whitefish family, presents as a silver phantom of the depths.",
"width": 2400,
"height": 1340
},
"phases": [
{
"id": "a4d81aee-ed76-4991-867e-e71272a388de",
"name": "Adult",
"slug": "adult",
"description": "The cisco spends most of its life as a pelagic adult, schooling in deep, cold waters of northern lakes. This phase is focused on feeding on zooplankton and small invertebrates, forming the backbone of the food web for predators like lake trout.",
"appearance": "Streamlined, compressed body with a radiant silver flank that fades to a white belly and an olive-green back. Large, dark eyes adapted for dim light. Deeply forked tail, large scales, small head with a terminal mouth and protruding lower jaw. Fins are clear to dusky with no markings. Size typically 1-2 pounds, but can exceed 5 pounds. The overall appearance is a shimmering, metallic silver phantom.",
"triggers": null,
"habitat": "Cold, clear, deep lakes in the northern tier (e.g., Great Lakes basin, Canadian Shield lakes). Pelagic, inhabiting deep, oxygen-rich hypolimnion layers, often suspending over immense depths.",
"anglersNote": "This is the primary phase anglers target for sport, bait, and table fare, offering a spirited fight on light tackle and prized as smoked fish.",
"displayOrder": 0,
"imageUrl": null,
"media": null
}
],
"contentUpdatedAt": "2026-05-09T22:32:29.259Z"
}species.getDestinations (0)
[]
faqs.getByEntity (0)
[]
seo.getBySlug
{
"title": null,
"description": "Cisco (Lake Herring) are silver, deep-water dwellers of northern lakes. Learn where to find and how to catch this prized baitfish and table fare.",
"h1Override": null,
"canonicalUrl": null,
"robots": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": "The Cisco, also known as Lake Herring or Tullibee, is a silver fish found in the cold, deep waters of northern lakes. Learn about its habitat, behavior, and why anglers prize it.",
"ogImage": null,
"ogType": null,
"twitterCard": null,
"focusKeyword": "cisco fishing",
"secondaryKeywords": [
"cisco",
"coregonus artedi",
"freshwater",
"lake herring",
"tullibee",
"blueback",
"siscowet (historically in some contexts)",
"northern cisco",
"chub"
],
"sitemapPriority": null,
"sitemapChangefreq": null,
"customMeta": null,
"redirectUrl": null,
"breadcrumbLabel": null
}